Lovenox

katiet925 · May 2015

I had a mc in January (6w) and now I'm taking lovenox. Anyone else doing daily injections?

DjinnaG · May 2015

I will be - I had a DVT/pulmonary embolism in 2002, and have clotted during recovery from surgery even when I used Lovenox. Originally, they were going to start me on it later down the road, but since I had a loss last year, I asked if it might help to start on the Lovenox early, and they said it wouldn't hurt. Seeing the MFM in 6.5 hours - can't believe I'm so excited about getting to give myself daily shots early on, but yes, counting the hours.

jessicathomas28 · May 2015

Ladies!! I am so glad there is a post here for this! Thank you for starting it. I have my appt with my high risk doc in a few hours and I also most likely will be put on lovenox for a couple of clotting genes that I have. I would love to compare notes and just share experiences with eachother... Because to be honest, I'm scared! I know I shouldn't be... But I didn't know I was going to have this protocol ... And I'm adjusting ;-) I'm 7 weeks 1 day... @DjinnaG @katiet925

TracyMG907 · May 2015

I have the MTHFR gene mutation, so I have to take daily Lovenox shots at least until 12 weeks, and started them at the beginning of April. The only side effect I have had is bruising at the injection site.

katiet925 · May 2015

@TracyMG907 I also have mthfr and I have factor five Leiden. The injections hurt a little and I have bruises but it's so worth it in the end! My husband does the injections and I'm finally getting used to it after starting last Tuesday. Best of luck to everyone!
@jessicathomas28

jessicathomas28 · May 2015

I have the MTHFR gene mutation too! I'm homozygous.. Are you hetero or homo? Also, I just found out I have the prothrombin gene mutation too... What does of lovenox are you ladies on? they are only doing it for 12 weeks? Is it just for the baby and to reduce risk of miscarriage? They said they want me on it because of risk of blood clot in me. Ughhh. Why am i so freaked out about this??

jessicathomas28 · May 2015

@TracyMG907

sherks11 · May 2015

I was on it for my first pregnancy (history of PE) and have an appointment with my hematologist to start on June 1st for this one. I will be honest, no fun. I still have bruises from my pregnancy over a year ago. Lovenox is better than heparin though!!!!

jessicathomas28 · May 2015

Thank you @sherks11 !! Did you have any issues with it at all? have to go to hospital for bleeding, etc? That's what I'm scared of! I need to toughen up!!!!! ;-) I am so sorry you had a PE! That's no joke girl. You are tough and inspiring.. Thank you for sharing!!!

@katiet925 thanks for sharing your experience girl!!! I am glad to know we aren't alone on this!!! Does your doc have you on it until you give birth? I will take your suggestion and have hubby do it for me! ;-)

Best of luck to you all too!!!!! I hope we can stay in contact! :-)

jessicathomas28 · May 2015

@DjinnaG how did your appt go? Xoxo

sherks11 · May 2015

@jessicathomas28 no problems at all other than pain and bruising! My husband gave me the shots up until the very end. Sadly I found out it was actually better for me to give myself the shots (I knew right away if I had to stop and try again because it wasn't the right spot). At 38 weeks I switched to heparin because you can't get an epidural with lovenox in your system. Heparin you have to do 2 shots a day and it burns more than the lovenox imo.

DjinnaG · May 2015

Appt. went well, starting Lovenox Wed. morning - Rx wasn't ready when I got home from the appt., and by the time I woke up for work (night shift), the pharmacy was closed. I'll be taking 40 mg/0.4 mL. And I honestly can't wait. Anything to keep me or our little embryo from dying by clot! They saw a clot in my uterus (thankfully, not esp. close to the sac), were surprised that I haven't had any bleeding. I'm sure that this will kick it up and cause all kinds of panic - they gave me a 24/7 phone number for if/when that happens, lol.

I'm just thankful that it's now available as a generic, and that I opted for the max withholding on my flex spend account. The special tier copay on injectables was a nasty surprise last time I had to take it, and that was only for five days.

Oh, I'm hetero for MTHFR, which isn't supposed to cause a problem, but the scars on my lungs would beg to disagree. Also thankful for the blood doctor that said it sometimes could cause a problem and tried the extra folic acid thing on me, as it sure made a difference in my clotting!

katiet925 · May 2015

@jessicathomas28 I'm taking 40mg of lovenox until close to the end then I'm switching to heparin. I had my first us yesterday and baby is doing great! I'm going back in 2 weeks to hear the heartbeat. Im really glad I started this thread, great to hear everyone's experience!

DjinnaG · May 2015

Well, crud, that was much harder and more painful than I remember, and just about impossible to inject the entire syringe. (0.4 mL? Really? That's not that much, shouldn't have taken so much effort.) Need to Google for better instructions than what came on the pharmacy printout. Definitely doing something wrong.

jessicathomas28 · May 2015

Ladies, I am so grateful for you responses! I am inspired and now ready to do this!!! I can do it! I will get this going asap and will let you know as soon as I do the first shot!! :-) @DjinnaG - i will also talk to my nurse about it and see if she has any suggestions that I can pass on! xoxo

DjinnaG · May 2015

When the spousal person got home this evening, I excitedly showed off one of the syringes. He was very confused, what's this for? Uh, it's the blood thinner, you know, so I don't die? Wait, you have to give yourself a SHOT??? Yeah, I give myself one of these every day so I don't get another clot. You have to give yourself a SHOT, EVERY DAY????? If I'd known that, I never would have suggested having kids! Uh.... I did them before my surgery, I knew what I was signing up for.

Dude, I've mentioned repeatedly that I'd be able to give myself injections to prevent another blood clot ever since the preconception counselling appt. last April. Mentioned that I was glad they'd be starting them early this time, as it might prevent another loss. Mentioned that I would be making sure they remembered to start me on them at the first appt. yesterday. He was there when I discussed it with both doctors that came to chat with us. The only thing I can think of for why this didn't really sink in is that I and the doctors always used the word "injection," and it just never really dawned on him that an injection is a shot until he saw the needle. Thankfully, I don't have a problem with needles, though I guess if I did, I would have had to get over it in a hurry when I had my DVT/PE and had to have all those blood draws the first six months after. Really hard not to chalk this up as example #534,983,983 why men don't have the babies, as I know that needle phobia isn't sex specific. Guess I have something to tease him about going forward, at least, not being able to clue in that injection = shot.

carmbg · May 2015

I also have the MTHFR mutation. I am taking Folgard two times a day and a baby aspirin once a day along with my other prenatals. They never mentioned the lovenox to me. Is there one where you don't need it?

amypann · May 2015

I have factor v Leiden and had a blood clot when I was 18. I have a 15 month old and gave myself lovenox injections every night for the entire pregnancy and 6 weeks after. I am now 6 weeks 2 days pregnant and have been doing the shots for two weeks. My best advise is to lay down and grab a fatty part of your tummy for the injection. I rotate sides - right on even days and left in odd to give the bruising time to heal. Some days it sucks and some not bad at all. Good luck ladies!

jessicathomas28 · May 2015

@carmbg I just got back from a second opinion with another high risk OB and he said that the new protocol with MTHFR a is that you don't have to take blood thinners with pregnancy. He said that different docs have different opinions.... But he said that it really is a preference thing... And for those who have had a miscarriage before, this is a tool that many believe will prevent miscarriage. Also, for those who have had a history of a DVT or PE, it is a requirement. Does that make sense?

jessicathomas28 · May 2015

@DjinnaG OMG this is hilarious ONLY because I relate. My hubby doesn't remember many things like this and I could totally see this happening to us!! These exact story!!! Sending you hugs! xxoo

Pink714 · May 2015

I had a PE after my second child, was on lovenox throughout my third pregnancy bc they found MTHFR-hetero and FVL after the PE
I expect to be put on the shots next week when I go meet with mfm
My first two pregnancies were uneventful and I had no idea.

Pink714 · May 2015

I will say that the shots hurt worse in different places. The closer I got outward, toward my hips it hurt like a bitch. But, closer to the middle, but not the exact middle bc of your artery, it hardly hurts...at least for me

and I always stayed below the belly button line. Up top hurt really bad, too

I did ice it a couple times afterward and thag cut down on the bruising.

sherks11 · May 2015

Pink714 said:
I will say that the shots hurt worse in different places. The closer I got outward, toward my hips it hurt like a bitch. But, closer to the middle, but not the exact middle bc of your artery, it hardly hurts...at least for me and I always stayed below the belly button line. Up top hurt really bad, too I did ice it a couple times afterward and thag cut down on the bruising.

I always gave myself the shots in my thighs just because I couldn't bring myself to do it in my belly. Everyone always told me I was crazy and it probably hurt more but I just couldn't do it! I had to take shots before I was pregnant right after my PE and it hurt just as bad in my stomach. My thighs still have light bruises from my 1st pregnancy 13 months later... I don't look forward to starting them in 2 weeks!!!

Pink714 · May 2015

Oh, I don't know if I could do the thighs! I may try to see this time. They're super fatty lol or maybe my ass!

sherks11 · May 2015

Haha, well my husband gave me the shots so I didn't want him to go near my ass! He would have had too much fun with that!!!

DjinnaG · May 2015

Watching a bunch of YouTube videos helped soooo much for Day 2. Didn't have any problem getting the whole dose in, and it only hurt a teeny, tiny bit, and not even a hint of a bruise or blood leakage. Not bad at all. Not anything I would ever do for grins and giggles, but as far as the pains and indignities of pregnancy go, I'd rate it as less of one than cutting way back on caffeine. Opinion may change after a couple months when I start to feel like a pincushion, and it's built up enough to really make me bruise.

Lopez19 · May 2015

After a picture perfect pregnancy in '11, I miscarried at 9 weeks and then again at 16 weeks last year. Turns out I have factor 5 and am at risk for clotting so now I take a daily lovenox injection and 81mg of asprin. Going for my first ultrasound tomorrow with the high risk dr...

kristenduzz · May 2015

I don't have any of the clotting issues but had a few superficial clots (spontaneous) and one DVT post-op. I have Crohn's Disease and am at a higher risk for clots because of that. Just had my viability scan and the OK to start my shots this week. Doing aspirin one more day till my hubby (a nurse) can show me the best way of doing it.

skfg · May 2015

I have an autoimmune condition and that combined w/a blood clot after minor ankle surgery put me in the Lovenox and baby aspirin camp for my first pregnancy. I was also under the care of a very conservative MFM. I am hoping to not be on Lovenox this pregnancy, but I"ll find out in a few weeks. It was not so bad, just a lot of bruising towards the end.

sherks11 · June 2015

How are the shots going for you ladies?

I just saw my hematologist today and he isn't going to have me start lovenox until the 2nd trimester. For my first pregnancy, he had me start right away BUT since that time he talked to another big wig specialist and she said that doing it so early can cause some bleeding which worries women (obviously). I never experienced this with my first. Anybody else hear this from their doc??

jrgladiator · June 2015

Hello Ladies, I am Factor Five w/Leiden mutation, hetero state. I have found that rubbing an ice cube over the area you tend to inject and afterwards helps minimize bruising. Congratulations to you all:)

cassmarie1594 · July 2015

Just wondering everyone's opinions. My doctor had me start the lovenox shots at about 12 weeks and now going into my 16th week I am waiting for the prescription. Have been getting really nauseous and dizzy since taking them though and really hesitant to start again. Right now me and the spouse are trying to figure out if the best thing is to keep taking it and being really sick or to stop. I have a factor 2 mutation but didn't talk to the hematologist, my obgyn prescribed them. Just conflicted on what to do

skfg · July 2015

Are you under the care of a MFM? If not, maybe it is worth getting their opinion. I know ob's/MFM may have a different view than hematologists re: being on thinners and obviously it is dependent on your individual factors. Maybe ask your doc about switching to Heparin shots to see if you may not have the sane side effects. Good luck!

sherks11 · July 2015

I've never experienced any sickness on lovenox. I would definitely see a hematologist to talk about your options!

cassmarie1594 · July 2015

Thanks guys! I'm going to make the appointment soon. Just overly worried at everything right now.

Want a personalized experience?

Lovenox

Re: Lovenox

Choose Another Board

Search Boards